MANA History MANA de San Diego, established in 1986, is the largest local chapter of MANA, a National Latina Organization, which was founded in 1974. We share their national goal of giving voice to Latinas through Leadership, Service, Education, and Advocacy opportunities including young girls through our Hermanitas program established in 1988. Another goal is to empower Latinas not only to seek elected office but to make sure they are equally represented in public and private positions of influence and policy-making. In 2015, MANA de San Diego established the Latina Success Leadership Program, a partnership with the Center for Creative Leadership, a global leader in leadership development. MANA is committed to making sure we continue to expand the pipeline of political and policy-making talent for San Diego’s non-profit, public, and private sectors.
Organizing and Unleashing Political Power In San Diego during the 1990s, a person could count on one hand the number of elected or appointed Latino officials. Then in 1994, we faced the threats of Proposition 187, which would make it illegal for working undocumented immigrant family members to receive emergency healthcare, public education, and other public services in the State of California, services that their tax dollars supported. MANA de San Diego joined other to participate in educating our community about the discriminatory aspects of Proposition 187, which were ultimately found unconstitutional by the federal courts in 1997.
MANA’s mission deeply resonates with me. After being a long-time member for over two decades, I became its executive director in June 2020, after a career in higher education and the nonprofit sector. I intimately know this community as I am a binational citizen born and raised in Tijuana and educated in the U.S. My binational upbringing enriched my life and that of my seven sisters, a decision my father, a WWII Veteran, and my mom made, both born in the U.S.
Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, former State Assembly member, honored by MANA de San Diego at Inaugural luncheon – April 8, 2022 (Photo courtesy MANA de San Diego)
Punitive legislation like Proposition 187 affected many Latinos, but it also motivated many of us to become more civically engaged. We realized political representation mattered because officeholders make decisions and prioritize “their” values by crafting legislation based on their personal experiences and priorities. According to the National Association of Latino Elected Officials, today there is a generation of more than 1,600 Latina/o elected and appointed public officials serving in local, regional, state and federal offices throughout California.
2019 Hermanitas Graduation (Photo courtesy MANA de San Diego)
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San Diego Latino Legacy – Timeline • Milestones • Stories
Chapter 8 – Facing COVID-19
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